Sri Ramakrishna would describe how a true devotee always depends on God, in weal and woe. To substantiate his statement he used to tell a beautiful story.

In a certain village there lived a weaver who was a very pious soul. When a customer asked him about the price of a cloth, he would clearly give a break-up of the cost as well as profit. Such was people’s faith in the weaver that the customer won’t even bargain with him.

One late night he was sitting in front of his house thinking about God. At that time a band of thieves happened to pass that way. They were searching for a man to carry the stolen goods and seeing the weaver they put the load on his head and commanded him to carry them. All of a sudden policemen arrived at the spot and seeing them the robbers ran away.

But the weaver, with the load of stolen goods on his head, was arrested. Next day, when he was brought before the magistrate the weaver said, “Your honour, by the will of Rama I was sitting awake till late last night when a band of robbers passed that way. By the will of Rama they committed a robbery in a house and they put the load of stolen goods on my head. Just then, by the will of Rama, policemen came and seeing them the robbers fled and they arrested me. This morning, by the will of Rama, I was brought before you.” The magistrate realised that the weaver was a pious man and ordered his release. On the way back the weaver said to his friends that by the will of Rama he was released.

Thus, Sri Ramakrishna would say a true devotee of God depends on Him for everything. Every moment of his life he is aware that whatever is happening, is happening by the will of the Lord.